Sekha Iheyi
by Ms. Numbers
Summary: SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Christiane D'Arcy, an Egyptologist researching the court of Amenhotep III, makes an interesting discovery of an undocumented figure in the court. She spends her time trying to piece together who this mystery man really was.


_A/N: Special thanks to my talented beta, musiqueetamour (Erik), for whipping this into shape with his wonderful betaing skills and answering all of my questions, as per always. Another round of thanks goes to sparklyscorpion (bee) for helping me with the various information searches. The storyline and basic characters belong to Gaston Leroux, as always; I'm simply using it to help create a different version of the Phantom story. _

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**Early Spring, 1352 BC – Memphis, Egypt**

The patter of tiny feet came closer and closer.

Bending over the manuscript, enthralled by his work, the sound went unnoticed as he continued to dip the stylus into the ink, distributing it carefully over the papyrus. Methodically, the ink was formed into tiny musical notes, joining together into a sweet melody. He stood, straightening up from being hunched over the composition for hours, and sighed as tensed muscles loosened. Turning away from his work for a moment, he reached to a nearby fruit bowl, plucking a few plump _iareret_ from their vines. Sating some of his hunger with their sweet taste, he slowly walked over to the window and thought about his muse.

She was the day to his night. Completing him in ways that he never knew to be possible, she brought him so much happiness. Happiness he thought he'd never achieve during his sad, miserable life. So much of his life had been spent trying to make something of himself in society's eyes; in a world that would never fully accept him. She made him feel like a real _person_, not simply a reject.

While he was lost in thought, a furry creature slowly made its way across the tabletop, sniffing and exploring the multiple pieces of papyrus that littered the area. Miw-sher lightly walked across the papyrus, making sure everything was in its proper place before she turned around, three times to be exact, and laid down directly in the middle of the composition.

Turning away from the window, he walked back over to the table where the music was. His eyes grew wide as he saw the cat in the middle of everything.

"Miw-sher! _Off_!"

Her bright green eyes rose up to his and staring intensely, she almost seemed to question why she should deign to move when she was comfortable. He stepped closer to her, knowing that she might fight back should he try and forcibly remove her…but he had to salvage his music! Moving as close to her as possible, he gently wrapped his hands around her midsection and lifted her off the table. She must have sensed his desperation and allowed herself to be moved.

Depositing Miw-sher on one of the _pehdjew_, he moved back over to the table to inspect the damage. Other than a few cat hairs, the composition was fine. Picking up the stylus once more, he began to dip and distribute the ink carefully over the papyrus forming more tiny notes of music.

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A month later, it was finished.

After spending more than two years composing, he had completed it.

For _sey_.

If she would just hear it and realize that it was for her, then he would be satisfied. All of the sweat, blood, and tears would be worth it…if she'd just smile.

Gathering up all of the papyrus sheets of music, he found a small piece of rope to hold the papers together. He wouldn't give it to her now – the timing wasn't right.

Soon.

Walking over to the window once more, he craned his head around to see if she was out taking her nightly walk.

He did not have long to wait, for she soon appeared.

The gauzy material of her outer robe blowing softly behind her, she took a stroll around the gardens as was her habit each night, just as his own was to admire her from afar. Her long black hair hung down on either side of her lovely face, framing it. Her _hedj_ shift made her dark skin glow in the moonlight and the whites of her eyes seemed to shine like two stars from the heavens.

As she walked, she thought about many things – her future, who she would marry, would love be involved…After turning the corner for the fourth time, she stopped to listen. Thinking she heard someone sigh, she peered up into the night sky and all around the garden. Not seeing anything or anyone, she gathered her robe around her and began to head back inside to her _a't_.

Had she paused for another moment, she might have heard another sigh, followed by something else…

A soft, yearning whisper: _"…Neferukayt…"_


End file.
